Missing Paige: (The Paige Diaries #2) Read online

  Missing Paige

  (The Paige Diaries)

  Book 2

  Copyright © 2020 by D.K. Lake

  Cover image by https://www.bigstockphoto.com

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), or by any information storage and retrieval system without prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of a reviewer in brief quotations.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Chapter 1

  - Paige -

  It starts to rain on the way to the bus stop. I try to order an Uber, but I can't get any signal. I hurry along the sidewalk in the rain, wearing hardly any clothes and no shoes. There’s no way I'm walking to the bus stop in heels. I'm missing classes right now, but that's the last thing on my mind.

  Memories of last night come flooding back to me and my stomach starts to churn. What on earth possessed me to go home with Dario? I remember kissing him and taking off my clothes, but we didn't have sex because I fell asleep before we could, but still, what was I thinking?!

  I can't even get my head around it. I have no idea what I was doing last night. I'm never drinking again.

  But now he knows about what happened last year. I never wanted him to find out, and especially not like this.

  More tears start to fall, as does the rain, pelting down around me. I hate thinking about last year and what I went through. I had done everything possible to forget about it and Dario brings it all back up in a heartbeat. I feel sick to my stomach thinking about what I did. I had no choice. My mom gave me no other choice, but no one understands what's she's like, other than my sister. I was trapped in that house, literally. I couldn't call or get ahold of anyone. Would I have called Dario? Yes. But I never got the chance before my phone was confiscated and before I knew what my mother had planned for me. As soon as I told her about the baby, she was already making arrangements for me to go to the clinic. I never told her who the father was, even though she asked a hundred times. The only person that knew the whole story was Emily and I asked her to keep my secret. Funny thing is, I always thought she would be the one to spill the beans, but instead, it was me. Blame it on the alcohol.

  "Ugh." My tummy rolls again.

  I rub my tummy and duck into the bus shelter. I pray no one sees me. I look a state. If my dad catches wind of this, he'll be the first to tell my mother that I was seen walking the streets half-naked. I'll never hear the end of it. I haven't phoned her this week. I'm surprised she hasn't sent Dad over to check up on me already. I take a seat and tug Dario's sweatshirt down my legs. My toes are so cold they're going numb. Why did it have to rain today? I pull out my phone and reread Maverick's messages from last night.

  6.24 pm - Maverick: How's your day been? I miss you xx

  8.20 pm - Maverick: I guess you didn't get my message or maybe you fell asleep. Sorry if I wake you. I just wanted you to know the game kicks off in ten minutes. We're driving straight back after the match, so I'll see you in the morning. xx

  11.15 pm - Maverick: Ethan texted me and said he just saw you at some party? I didn't know you had plans tonight? xx

  12.10 am - Maverick: Are you ok???

  7.23 am - Maverick: I'm back. Where are you?

  9.17 am - Maverick: Paige, I'm getting really worried now. Em said you didn't come back to the dorm last night?

  9.42 am- Maverick: Are you getting my messages?

  10.27 am - Maverick: Did I do something wrong?

  The last one was sent thirteen minutes ago. Someone must have put my phone on silent last night. Maybe even Mitchel.

  I open a blank message, but I don't even know where to start.

  Me: I'm okay. I'll be back in twenty minutes.

  My phone dings almost straightaway.

  Maverick: Where are you?

  I don't know what to say so I just close my phone and wait for the bus, expecting it to turn up at any moment, but instead Mitchel's Jeep cruises around the corner and skids to a stop next to the curb in front of me. He rolls down the window.

  "Get in!" he calls.

  I don't know what he wants but maybe he can give me a lift back to the dorms. I climb in and push the carrier bag onto the floor and buckle myself in as we start to drive.

  "You okay?" Mitchel asks, resting his arm on the edge of the window with a cigarette between his fingers.

  "Just peachy." I mutter. "Why did you come and get me?"

  He's already driving me back to campus so I don't need to ask him.

  "We can't have you walking around in your underwear now, can we?"

  I fidget and tug at the hem of the sweater. I feel cold and my legs are covered in goosebumps. Mitchel notices and presses a few buttons on the console and soon warm air blasts into the car.

  "Thanks," I say.

  "Also, Boston wasn't going to let you walk anywhere dressed like that."

  "So why didn't he pick me up?" Not that I want him anywhere near me right now.

  "I figured you needed some space. And...I might have locked him in the garage office to stop him from coming after you."

  I turn to look at him to see if he's being serious and he smiles my way.

  "He's gonna be mad at you."

  Mitchel shrugs.

  "Well, thank you, I guess."

  We drive in silence with only the background hum of the radio. I'm not paying attention to it.

  I'm still trying to think up something to tell Maverick that doesn't involve me telling him I was with Dario last night. He knows I didn't go back to the dorms last night so where can I say I went? I don't have any other friends and he knows it. I'm such a loser.

  "Can I ask you something?" he interrupts my thoughts.

  "What?" I gather my things together as we pull into the campus parking lot.

  "Do you think Kelsey is happy?"

  I blink at him. Is he really asking me about my sister right now?

  I sigh, "I honestly have no idea."

  "Do you think she'd let me see Blue if I went over there?"

  "I don't know, Mitchel. I know this whole situation is messed up and I don't agree with what she's done, keeping Blue a secret from you, but I'm sure she had her reasons. Are you really considering driving over there to see her? Can't you just call her and talk to her first?" He parks the Jeep and turns off the engine.

  "She's changed all her numbers. Unless you have her new number?"

  I shake my head. "No, we don't keep in contact. I told you that."

  He finishes his cigarette and flicks it out the window.

  "You know if you just show up on her doorstep, she's going to have a meltdown, and what about Colt? Do you think he's just going to invite you inside and offer you a cup of tea?"

  "Probably, he's that lame."

  I shake my head and push the door open, sliding out. Mitchel hops out and follows me to the curb.

  "I'll walk you inside and make sure you get back okay."

  "You don't have to do that."

  "No, but Boston will ask if you got back to your dorm and I can't just tell him I left you in the parking lot. So, shall we?" He holds out his arm toward the dorms and I just start walking as I can't be bothered to argue with him at how unnecessary this is.

  Mitchel follows me inside and up the stairs, always a few steps behind me. A couple of girls waiting around in the hallway catch sight of Mitchel and start giggling and whispering to each other
, giving me odd looks in my clothes. I look over my shoulder to see what he's making of all this but he's not even looking in their direction and still has his nose in his phone. But to be fair, Mitchel is attractive in a weird Emo way.

  I stop at my door and Mitchel walks straight into me.

  "Shit. Sorry." he mumbles with his nose still in his phone.

  I reach for my tote bag which I usually take everywhere with me, but then I realize I didn't take anything with me last night apart from my phone which I wedged in a secret pocket in my outfit.

  "What's wrong?" Mitchel asks.

  "I don't have my key, it's in my bag. In there." I point at the door.

  "Is Em inside?"

  "I don't know, she should be in sociology right about now. But if she is inside, she's probably not alone." I sigh loudly, hoping I could slip in and out unnoticed without waking her, now I don't have a choice. I knock loudly and hear movement on the other side and don't have to wait long for someone to open the door.

  I'm expecting Em or her druggie boyfriend, but I'm not prepared to see Maverick on the other side.

  He holds the door open, one hand on the door and one hand firmly on the frame, stopping me from getting inside. His expression is unreadable, and his eyes don't leave Mitchel.

  I turn to Mitchel, "Thanks for the ride."

  "You sure you'll be all right?" Mitchel asks.

  I nod and force a smile. Mitchel looks at Maverick once more before walking away.

  "Can I come in?" I ask, unsure.

  Maverick's eyes stay locked on Mitchel as he walks away, making sure he leaves, and I duck under his arm and slip inside. I dump my bag on the desk and quickly root through the closet for something to pull on my legs and find a pair of plain black leggings that will do. I turn to talk to Maverick and find him right behind me.

  "How did you get in?" Is my first question.

  "Emily let me in. She just left with that Spencer guy."

  My eyes dart to her bed and I see the crumpled sheets and a condom wrapper on the floor.

  Seriously, Em?

  I'm afraid to look again in case I see anything else gross. I cross the room and grab some of Em's face wipes and quickly scrub last night's makeup off.

  "Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?" Maverick asks, leaning on the edge of the desk with his arms crossed.

  "I went to a party last night and got a little drunk."

  "I already figured that out. What happened to your clothes?"

  "I didn't really want to come home dressed as a dark angel." I gesture to the bag where my wings are sticking out from.

  "Whose clothes are you wearing?"

  I don't answer so he tries a different question.

  "You didn't come home with Em? Where did you go after the party?"

  "I uh…I stayed at a friend's" I throw the makeup covered wipes in the wastepaper basket and see a collection of used condoms at the bottom. Yuck. Em is so cleaning that up.

  "Mitchel Torres?" he asks but he sounds pissed.

  "What? No. He just gave me a ride home." I shake my head. "Mitchel Torres is madly in love with my sister, there's nothing going on between us." I say firmly.

  "Okay. So where did you stay last night?"

  I'm about to tell him I crashed at the party but he beats me to it.

  "I know you didn't stay over at the house where the party was because I drove over there looking for you. I still can't believe that would be your sort of party." Maverick shakes his head in disgust. "That place isn't somewhere I would ever want you to go."

  Shit.

  I run my hands over my face, wishing I could rewind time.

  "Em made me go with her."

  "Obviously. But you still haven't answered my question? Where did you go after the party? You can’t just tell me you stayed at a friend’s and not tell me who it was." Maverick probes.

  "Why does it matter where I was? We're not even dating!" I snap.

  Maverick looks a little taken back.

  "I know that, but I didn't know you were seeing other people."

  "I'm not seeing other people." I sigh.

  "Then what happened? It's not like you to disappear for the night."

  "I-I don't really remember. I woke up at the garage and I don't remember how I got there."

  "The garage? Dario's Auto Shop?" He scrubs a hand through this hair. "You were with Boston last night?"

  "I wasn't with him. I woke up there. He kidnapped me from the party. I can't even remember him being there, that's how drunk I was."

  "Why would Boston take you back to the garage with him?"

  "I don't know!" I lie, feeling lost.

  Maverick can sense I'm upset and no doubt my face is blotchy from crying this morning. I haven't even looked in a mirror yet.

  "Hey, look at me," Maverick closes the distance between us and cups my face. "Did something happen last night?"

  "No. I already told you nothing happened."

  "No, I mean...did he take advantage of you?"

  "What? No, of course not."

  "Paige, I'm so confused here. You told me nothing was going on, but whenever I turn around, you're running off back to Boston."

  "I'm not purposely running off back to him. He always comes looking for me."

  Most of the time.

  "Do you still like him?"

  I shake my head. "No, it's...complicated."

  "How so? Help me to understand. Explain it. Tell me."

  "There's nothing to tell."

  "Why is he so obsessed with you?"

  "He's not obsessed with me," I pull away and fall onto my bed.

  "Your first weekend here you went to that party with Emily in one of the frat houses. You know, the one where we first bumped into each other?"

  "What about it?"

  "I was there before you and I overheard Boston talking to that Torres guy-"

  "Mitchel was at that party?" I never noticed, but I was too distracted by my period at the time.

  "Mitchel wanted to leave but Boston made him stay. I heard them talking about this girl, Mitchel said she would never show up at a party like that, but Boston wanted to wait because he'd heard Emily was gonna be there so he thought this girl might show up as well." Maverick comes over and sits on the bed next to me. "He went to the party looking for you...and I want to know why. You say it's nothing, but it's clearly something."

  "I don't...I don't want to talk about it."

  "Paige," he starts when there’s a knock at the door and I jump off the bed, shaking my head.

  "I can't. If that's him, I can't see him right now."

  Maverick watches me carefully. He knows I'm upset and that I don't want to see Dario, but he doesn't know all the details. Instead of asking me any more questions he just nods his head and gets up to answer the door. The person knocks again and then they start pounding on the door.

  "Paige?!" Mitchel calls.

  "What does he want now?" I mutter.

  Maverick opens the door and Mitchel pushes his way inside.

  "What are you doing?" I ask.

  "I just got a call from Spencer."

  "And?" I have no idea.

  "And he just drove over to the garage with Em and he might have unlocked the office and let Boston out..." Mitchel trails off as I guess where this is going. "He took Spencer's car and he's on his way over here now!"

  "Shit." I curse, taking a step back and hurrying over to the window.

  "I don't want to see him." I panic, clambering up the nightstand and knocking things off.

  "I know, and I told him that, but after what you told him this morning..." Mitchel stops talking, suddenly remembering Maverick is here.

  "I can't...I can't..." I mumble, running into the closet and grabbing my duffel bag. Then I rush around the room shoving random items of clothing in.

  "I need a ride. Can you take me to the bus station?" I ask Mitchel, grabbing my wash bag and adding it to my bag.

  "Sure," Mitchel says and
goes over to the window to keep a lookout.

  "Paige, what is going on? The bus station? Where are you going?" Maverick asks frantically.

  "I don't know. I just need to get out of town right now."

  "Whoa, slow down! You're not making any sense." Maverick follows me around the room as I gather my things.

  "I know, and I'm sorry." I start to get upset again. "I can't explain everything right now, but I can't be here when he gets here. I need to go." I fret, grabbing my tote bag and checking I have my purse and keys.

  "Fuuuck. Paige. We have company!" Mitchel warns.

  "Shit, shit, shit." I grab my work folder and pencil case and cram them into my tote along with my reading book.

  "Paige, this is insane." Maverick says. "Where are you planning to go?"

  Mitchel picks up my duffel and heads out to the hallway. I check I have everything I need to escape for a few days.

  "Paige, come on!" Mitchel calls and I give Maverick a helpless look.

  "I'm sorry, I can't do this right now. I have to go." I slip out the door and Maverick pulls the door closed behind us.

  "There is another set of stairs down here," I tell Mitchel and he starts walking. I hurry along behind him and Maverick follows us having no idea what's going on.

  We make it downstairs and out the side door without running into Dario, but he's most likely at the other end of the building by now.

  "Here, I'll go get the Jeep and swing by to get you." Mitchel says.

  "No, hold up a minute." Maverick says calmly, reaching in front of me and taking my duffel from Mitchel. "I can drive her to the bus station. My car’s parked just over there." He points behind us. Mitchel looks at me for a moment and I just nod, wanting to get out of here.

  Maverick reaches into his pocket and lifts out his keys and starts walking to his Range Rover with my duffel. I go to follow him but then I remember something.

  "Mitchel?" I call and he looks back at me. "If you have to go over to see my sister and cause chaos, maybe do it when Colt isn't there," I suggest.

  "How am I supposed to know when he won't be there?"

  "Just check his name for upcoming races and find out where he'll be." I say it like it's a no-brainer. Colt's a famous motocross racer, it's not hard to find out where he will be.